Banesbrook
The town of Banesbrook sits on the banks of Sharp’s Bay and next to the Stillwater River. A small series of hills lay to the north of the town which is home to a series of farms and also the Banesbrook Cemetery. The town lies in the space where the seat of the Charmonix Empire used to be long ago. The town officially lies in the Westmarch Province of Lucille, drawing all of those who seek adventure and those who would exploit such a remote and isolated town equally. History Pre-Orc Invasion Banesbrook was managed by Knight Commander Fox Donnel, Commander of the 13th Regiment of the Royal Army of Lucille. He was appointed to oversee the village by his father Baron Riven Donnel. He replaced Captain Killian Hallwinter as commander of the Banesbrook guard and Militia and has also relieved Mayor Daran Hallwinter. Blacktooth Invasion After the demise of Knight Commander Fox Donnel at the hands of some of the residents, Banesbrook was invaded by the Blacktooth Clan of orcs. A long time half-orc resident, Tox, and a self-proclaimed refugee orc from Blacktooth, Grontok, aided the invaders in entering and taking over the town. The residents were forcibly evicted to an outpost at the cliffside to the north, known now as Edgecliff. The invasion was prefaced by a poison in the river east of town, which sickened residents and visitors alike. While investigating the cause of the corruption of the river Valak noticed many orcs just north of the outpost, the orcs also spotted Valak striking him with many arrows. Luckily he returned to Banesbrook to deliver the warning as war horns sounded to the north and west of Banesbrook. Notifying Commander Killian Hallwinter of the orcs, Valak and a number of adventurers joined them as they moved towards the western gate where a force of orcs attempted to enter through the western gate. As the gate closed, the orcs crashed against it as a foul wave. Eventually the gate fell to their onslaught as more orcs poured out of the nearby forest. Fires broke out in the northern residential area of town and the adventurers we're split in their defense of the town. In the north, Grontok revealed himself as a traitor killing the warlock Aelen. As the north fell so did the west as the deluge of orcs felled the mighty Gore, removing his arm. Grontok and the orcs then finished off the remaining soldiers and guards with ease as the few survivors made the long trek to safety. Retaking of Banesbrook After many weeks of preparation, allies converged to take back the once quiet seaside settlement of Banesbrook. For some, it was home despite only living there a few months. Others had heard stories but never step foot in the town, marching for the sake of killing orcs or helping their fellow heroes regain their home. Still others came for the promise of glory or simply because they had nothing better to do that day. The war party of centaurs, viscious hounds of hell, trained and armored lizardfolk, men and women who could shift into terrifying wolves, and a golem joined our heroes on the march south. The centaur outriders rode down any orc patrols they encountered, save one. A group of orcs overwhelmed the horse-men, so a group of adventurers followed them, eliminating an entire camp of orc scouts with extreme violence. One orc commander was saved as a captive while the rest were put down. Using her powers of persuasion and cunning magics, Cisca learned of a weakened entry way to the town. The heroes and allies slept, anxious for the battle to come. In the morning, they marched through the shadowed land of slumbering plants until the walls were within sight. Vex, Ezra, and Marius summoned a mighty dragon to distract the orcs away from the main assault. Marius almost lost his life, but many more orcs lost theirs in the simple distraction. While fires burned to the east, the main forces marched on the north wall. The orcs were no unprepared, launching powerful bolts into the assembled invaders and meeting them in melee combat atop and behind the walls. Flames flowed freely from the hellish hounds, burning much of the city's north wall to ash. Through the opening surged the homecoming forces, cutting down orcs by the dozen. Drums beat and the orcs held their blades. Argog the warchief and Grontok the beytrayer showed their faces then. The later orc held Billy the halfling in his arms, caught in an attempt to seek vengeance. Argog offered the invaders a choice, leave or the halfling dies. In the next few seconds, Billy shouted for them to take back their home and let him die, Grontok slit his throat, arrows flew, and the orcs charged. Smaller, child orcs joined the fray, equally as vicious if not more so than their older kind. The horde of orcs was no match for the assembled allies of the outpost. The devil dogs swallowed orc children whole and ripped limbs from the raging adults. Centaurs rode down those on the outskirts of the battle, adamantine clad hooves easily caving in orc chests and arrows swiftly downing even more. The shifting men and women became great wolves, part wild animal and part calculating killing machines who tore through the horde with a ruthless efficiency. The golem and two summoned elementals ground orcs to paste underneath stoney fists. The lizards held a formation, trained well, and protected the weaker magic users in the back lines. Small brains on legs darted in and out of the battle, dropping orcs with no visible attacks. A tentacled horror tossed lightning and sucked the brains from unfortunate orcs as well. Gore led the charge, driving deep into the orc horde, far from his allies, to confront the chief and Grontok. Major, Sid, and Neco held the line alongside their allies, giving the rest room to work and systematically destroy the orcs. Those at the rear served to keep the rest alive, Charmenie, Pender, Gruntle, and Grim stitching wounds with powerful magics. Kal and Tor darted in and out, downing orcs with swift jabs and kicks. The horde dwindled as Gore held of the two plate clad orcs in his face. Bloodied but alive, the goliath stood strong as the last orcs were felled, leaving the Argog and Grontok. Wading through a sea of bodies, his allies came to join with the barbarian. Grontok was first to die, a blade from an invisible stalker found his heart and the poison on it finished the job. Argog stood last and gave not an inch before being cut down by the combined efforts of the heroes, Major landing the final blow. In an uncharacteristic rage, the half-orc beheaded the leader of the Blacktooth, claiming the orc's great dragon jaw weapon, Silence, as his own. Relations Banesbrook is currently a contested area, claimed by both the Clattersprocket Consortium and the Kingdom of Lucille. Neither has a sizable military presence to assert control over the town.